Shedding mechanism for leno-looms.



W. P. WOOD.

SHEDDING MECHANISM FOR LENO LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 1912.

1,033,507, Patented July 23,1912.

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WILLIAM P. WOOD, 0F PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO JENCKES SPINNING COMPANY, OF PAWTUGKET, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

SHEDDING MECHANISM FOR LENO-LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1912.

Application filed January 5, 1912. Serial No. 689,674.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM P. 001), a citizen of the United States, residing at Pawtucket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shedding Mechanism for Leno-Looms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to mechanism for forming the sheds in looms for cross or leno weaving.

In looms of this type as heretofore constructed the doups have usually been formed of twine or similar material which is rapidly worn, so that frequent repair or removal of the doups is required, with a resulting increase in the cost of manufacture. Attempts have been made to substitute wire doups for the doup cords or threads commonly used, but such doups have not, so far as I am aware, proved commercially successful, owing principally to the increased wear or strain on the warp threads, or to the fact that the doups were liable to be so moved in forming the sheds as to interfere with the proper operation of the harness in forming the sheds.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved construction of shed forming mechanism which will enable wire doups to be successfully used in either dobby or Jacquard looms for weaving fabric having gauze or leno patterns.

To this end the invention consists in the features and combinations hereinafter described and referred to in the claims.

The invention will be readily understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the shedding mechanism illustrated diagrammatically therein.

In the drawings Figures 1, 2, 3 and a are diagrammatic views illustrating a shed forming mechanism embodying the invention in its preferred form, and Fig. 5 is a front elevation showing the preferred con-,

struction of the doup heddle and doup.

In the construction illustrated the warp threads pass through the eyes of heddles 1, 2, 3 and f of usual construction. As shown, there are four warp threads corresponding 'to each doup, although their number may be varied as desired. The doup warps of each set pass from the heddles 1 and 2 through a doup 5 and thence through the lay (not shown) to the fabric. The doup consists of a fine wire bent to form a loop, the legs of which pass through holes 6 formed in a thin metal heddle strip 7. In order that the warps from heddles 3 and a may pass freely over the end of the doup wire without clanger of catching thereon when the doup heddle is raised, the heddle strip is provided with a recess 8 within which the end of the doup lies during the upward movement of the heddle strip. This recess is formed by bending the strip between the holes 6 and forms a pocket the edges of which guide the warp over the end of the doup wire.

In operating the shed forming mechanism for either plain or leno weaving it is important to the successful and uniform operation of the devices, and especially of the wire doups, that the doups shall be free to be lifted by the warp or by the heddle strips in forming each shed, and that only those doups which are thus lifted shall be lifted or projected through the doup heddle strip, as otherwise proper movement and control of the comparatively stiff wire doups will not be insured. An important feature of the invention accordingly consists in so connecting the doup wires with the doup bar which draws them down to their lower position after each pick that the upper warp engaging ends of the doup wires are not disturbed by the upward movement of the bar. lVith this construction the upward movement of the bar merely leaves the doup wires free to be moved vertically by the warp, or by the doup heddle as the case may be, and those doup wires which are not thus lifted remain in their lower position with their upper ends within the recesses 8 where they cannot in any wise interfere with the proper forming of the shed. The movement of the doup wires which are lifted by the warps is determined and controlled wholly by the warps, so that proper movement of these doup wires is also insured. As shown, this construct-ion consists of a flexible cord 9 connecting the lower ends of the doup wire with a doup bar 10, which is moved upward during the formation of each shed to allow any or all the connected doups to be raised, and is moved downward after the pick has W been passed through the shed to draw the raised doups down into their lower position preparatory to forming the succeeding shed, and is then lifted slightly to relieve the pull on the doups. The length of the cord is such that the bar may move to its highest position without lifting or disturbing the doup wires.

The heddles may be operated by a jacquard mechanism or dobby mechanism according to the character of the fabric to be woven. As shown, the heddles are supposed to be lifted by a jacquard mechanism and drawn down by the usual lingos 11. The doup heddle strips may be guided between the plates 12 of a cross-bar 13 which prevent twisting or turning of the strips as they move up and down. In forming the sheds for plain weave the heddles 1 and 3 are raised for one pick and these heddles are lowered and the heddles 2 and 4 raised to form the shed for the succeeding pick as indicated in Fig. 1. As the heddle 1 or 2 is raised, the corresponding warp lifts the doup wire 5 which moves freely through the holes 6, the doup bar 10 having moved upward so that the cords 9 are slack and do not interfere with the free upward movement of the doup. After each pick the doup bar moves down, first taking up the slack in the cords 9, and then drawing all the doups which have been raised down into the recesses 8. The bar then moves upward sligl'itly so that the upper ends of the doup wires will rest lightly on the warps and allow the warps to pass freely through them. This movement is effected by suitable cam mechanism such as is usually employed in operating the doup bars of leno looms. In forming the sheds for leno weave, the heddles 1, 2, 3 and 4: will all remain down, and the doup heddle strip will be lifted to carry warps 1 and 2 up back of the warps 3 and 4:, as indicated in Fig. 2, to form the shed for one pick, and the heddles 1 and 2 will be lifted while the heddle strip 7 remains down, so that the warps 1 and 2 will be carried up in front of the warps 3 and I to form the shed for the next pick, as indicated in Fig. 3. In both cases the bar 10 is raised to permit free movementof the doup wires by the doup heddle strip in one case, and by the warps in the other, and is then actuated to draw down the doup wires. In weaving certain designs some of the doups may remain down while others may be lifted either by the warps or by the doup heddle strips. This condition is illustrated in Fig. 4, in which the warps 1 and 2 are lifted, thus lifting the doup Wire 5, while the warps 1, 2, 3, 4: and the doup heddle strip 7 all remain down. In this case the cord 9 merely remains slack between the ends of the doup 5 when the bar is raised and the upper end of the doup 5 is not pushed up out of position and among the adjacent warps, but remains in its lower position within the recess 8. It will thus be seen that the doup wires can be lifted only by the warps or heddle strips acting on the upper ends of the doups and are returned tolower position. by a pull on their lower ends, so that their operation is rendered certain and reliable, and all danger of interference with the proper operation of the shedding mechanism in making any desired pattern at any part of the shed is avoided.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention, and specifically described one form of mechanism in which it may be embodied, what' I claim is 1. Shedding mechanism for leno looms, having, in combination, heddles provided with eyes for the warp, doup heddle strips, wire doups through which the doup warps pass, the legs of which pass through holes in the heddle strips, a vertically reciprocat' ing doup bar for drawing down the doup wires, and means connecting the lower ends of the doup wires with the bar permitting full upward movement of the bar independently of the doup wires whereby in forming a shed doup wires may remain down while others are lifted wholly by the warp or by their heddle strips, substantially as described.

2. Shedding mechanism for leno looms, having, in combination, heddles provided with eyes for the warp, doup heddle strips provided with recesses for the ends of the doups and with holes for the legs of the doups, wire doups the legs of which pass through the holes in the heddle strips, a vertically reciprocating doup bar for drawing down the doup wires, and flexible cords connecting the lower ends of the wire doups with the bar and of a length to permit full upward movement of the bar independently of the doup wires whereby in forming a shed doup wires may remain down with their upper ends in the recessesin the heddle strips while other doup wires are lifted wholly by the warp or by their heddle strips, substantially as described.

WILLIAM I. WOOD.

Witnesses A. T. Bonus, J. WV. BAKER.

Qopies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). G. 

